IMI rejigs calender of events for 1999

JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Motor Association (IMI) has rescheduled its calender of events for 1999 due to the economic crisis, chairman Bob Nasution said on Wednesday.

Bob said that the autosports governing body would concentrate on national competitions, rather than the organization of international events.

"We have decided to hold only 53 national events, a considerable reduction from 72 events already listed in our calendar for this year," Bob said.

The surviving competitions include, kart, motocross, motor road race and speed off and Asian road race.

Bob said one of the scrapped international events, the Rally of Indonesia, used to take place in Medan, North Sumatra. The event has been included in the world championship series since 1996. This year's rally was scheduled for this month.

"The world autosports body (FIA) has indefinitely suspended the rally due to fears about Indonesia's economic and political situation," Bob said, adding that the country could hopefully host the world rally championship again in 2000.

For 1999, IMI will only send drivers to international competitions abroad.

IMI secretary general Dolly Indra Nasution said the Medan rally was canceled this year because of fears that fresh riots would hit Medan.

"FIA is afraid that another riot will disrupt the Medan rally if it were to go on," Dolly said.

As to the effects of not hosting the rally, Indradjit Sardjono, IMI's head of sports and tourism affairs, said that hotels and restaurants in the North Sumatra capital city and prospective participants would suffer the most.

"Because of the cancellation, the Ford team reported a US$1.5 million financial loss. The team was in Medan for one and a half months prior to the rally. This excluded expenses incurred hiring 7,000 workers for three days," Dolly said.

To make amends for the failed rally, Indonesia hopes to play host to the World Karting Championships next year.

"We will approach FIM (the world motorcycle governing body) during a meeting next month to present our bid," Dolly said. (lnt)